4 Affordable Curtain Rods That Aren't Frilly in the Least

When you picture a curtain rod, does a gilded pinecone finial on a brushed-brass rod spring to mind? Or a cut-glass diamond knob? They can be so strangely fussy, curtain rods, when all we really want from them is a fixed position and a quiet disposition. Some good clean lines above the flounce of a set of drapes. Nothing too "antiqued." Mercifully, a few of the simpler designs out there are both affordable and suitably distinguished looking, and available from the sort of shops you might pass on the way home anyway (or be perusing online, say, during your lunch break). We've rounded four of them up below, organized for all your curtain rod desires—even if your desire is never to see another curtain rod again.

For when you'd rather never see the curtain rod at all…

Blackout Rods

If you really, truly hate the idea of finials and curtain rods but also like the idea of billowy linen curtains, get a blackout rod, which is designed so that your curtains can slip right around it to meet the wall—obscuring the fixture entirely. Not to mention encouraging you to sleep later, a definite plus.

For a glint of warm metal, but not too much else…

Superskinny Brass

With a slender 3/4" diameter, CB2's brushed-brass curtain rods have clean lines and feel delicate above the windows, rather than awkwardly bulky. Plus the warm finish looks just like with a splash of sunlight on it. If you're doing the whole brass accent thing but trying not to go overboard, try these.

For a loosely antiqued look…

Pewter Finish, Oval Finials

If you're working with thicker or more statement-making curtains and want a rod that holds its weight (no offense, blackout rod), consider the pewter finished Baldwin design from All Modern, which is just antiquey enough without going the way of the garden gnome.

For a high-contrast, lightly industrial rig…

Black Metal, Capped Ends

The curtain rod that works with just about any curtain, Umbra's extendable Cappa rods are simple and sleek with a satisfying end cap rather than a finial at either end. You can choose from a few other colors, but the inky matte black is a reliable choice to work with many styles—just be sure to mount the brackets inward about six inches from either end (they won't look as gunky that way).

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